Mathale not welcome in Parliament

 "Cassel Mathale, the former premiere of Limpopo, is not welcome in Parliament," Mr. Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus parliamentary leader says.

According to Mr. Groenewald, Mathale is, based on his relationship with Julius Malema who is at present facing charges of amongst others, fraud to the amount of R4 million, not competent to hold any position in the public service or Parliament.

There are also questions about Mathale's own involvement in corruption and tender fraud about which the media has for some time now been reporting, which makes him unsuitable for an position in the public sector.

The Limpopo province in addition has often been in the news in the past couple of years due to poor management and administration which has led to five department's in Limpopo being placed under administration in 2011.

Mathale acknowledged in a media release yesterday that he had been aware of allegations that he and his provincial cabinet had been corrupt. He however denied it.

Mr. Groenewald said it was astonishing that a person, who is under a cloud of controversy and against whom serious allegations of criminality are made, could possibly be rewarded with a parliamentary position after he had been sacked as provincial premiere.

"The Freedom Front Plus insists that the allegations against Mathale should be investigated before he is considered for any position in the public service. If he is to be redeployed to Parliament, it will make a mockery of the country's highest boardroom," Mr. Groenewald said.

He said the ANC could learn a lesson from the minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan, how to punish a person who is placed in a position of trust and who acts unethically.

Gordhan fired the commissioner of the South African Revenue Service (SARS), Oupa Magashula, due to his relationship with a convicted drug-dealer and said that his actions had compromised the reputation and credibility of SARS.

"If Mathale receives a position in Parliament, it will also compromise the reputation and credibility of Parliament in the eyes of the public," Mr. Groenewald said.

Statement issued by Mr. Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus parliamentary leader, July 16 2013

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